How to get oil out of hair, including coconut oil

How to remove grease and oil from hair

1. 1

   Blot off the excess

   Squeeze the oily sections between paper towels or an old towel, sliding from the roots toward the ends. Don't rub the hair into a tangle.

   Why: Every bit of oil you lift now is oil the shampoo doesn't have to carry away.

2. 2

   Apply shampoo to dry hair

   Before wetting your hair, massage shampoo directly into the oiliest areas and the scalp. Add only a splash of water to work up a lather.

   Why: On hair that's already soaked, water sits between the oil and the shampoo. Applied dry, the surfactant meets the oil directly.

3. 3

   Rinse with warm water

   Rinse thoroughly with warm water, working your fingers through to the scalp. Avoid very hot water on your scalp.

   Why: Warmth keeps fats fluid. Coconut oil in particular is solid below about 77°F, so a cool rinse can leave it waxy on the strands.

4. 4

   Shampoo again

   Shampoo a second time, this time on wet hair, concentrating on the scalp. For a heavy oil treatment, a third round or a clarifying shampoo may be needed.

   Why: The first wash removes most of the oil. A second round of fresh surfactant traps what's left on the strands and scalp.

5. 5

   Condition only the ends

   Use a small amount of conditioner on the ends to detangle, then rinse well. Skip conditioner at the roots this time.

   Why: Conditioner adds a light film back to hair, so keeping it off the scalp avoids redepositing the greasy feel you just removed.

6. 6

   Dry gently and check

   Wrap your hair in a towel or T-shirt to absorb water instead of rubbing. Once dry, feel the roots and lengths. If they're still slick, wash again.

   Why: Damp hair hides greasiness. Rubbing wet hair roughly can damage it.

Why oil doesn't rinse out with water

Cooking oils, coconut oil and hair oils are fats: non-polar molecules that repel water. Each hair is a protein fiber, and its surface is already coated with natural oil, so added oil spreads along the strands and clings. Water simply runs off. That's the same reason an oil stain on fabric needs detergent.

Shampoo works because its surfactants trap oils and dirt and let water carry them away. Clarifying or deep-cleansing shampoos have slightly more detergent, which is why they're useful after a heavy oil mask. The general approach to fats on other surfaces is on the grease and oil stains page.

Why coconut oil is harder to wash out

Coconut oil is mostly saturated fat, with lauric acid as its main fatty acid. That makes it a white solid below about 77°F and a thin liquid above it. On hair, it can firm up as it cools and coat the strands like wax.

That's why warm water and a second wash matter more with coconut oil than with liquid oils like olive oil. Water warm enough to feel comfortable on your scalp is plenty: the goal is to keep the fat fluid, not to scald it out.

By situation

Too much coconut oil after a hair mask

Shampoo on dry hair, rinse warm, then wash again. A clarifying shampoo for the second wash helps. If hair still feels coated after drying, repeat the next day rather than scrubbing hard several times in a row.

Cooking oil or grease spilled in hair

Blot off what you can and use the same dry-shampoo-first method. Food oils are liquid at room temperature, so they usually come out in one or two washes.

Thick, curly or textured hair

Oil is harder to rinse from dense hair, so work in sections and take longer on the rinse. Dermatologists note that dry or curly hair needs conditioner throughout, so after the oil is out, condition the lengths as you normally would.

Fine or straight hair with an oily scalp

Fine hair shows leftover oil quickly. Concentrate the shampoo at the scalp, keep conditioner to the ends, and expect two washes to be enough.

Oil near the eyebrows or lashes

Close your eyes and wipe gently with a cloth and a little water and mild soap or shampoo. Don't use any solvent near your eyes.

Petroleum jelly or wax instead of oil

Those are heavier and don't dissolve the same way. See petroleum jelly in hair for the oil-then-shampoo method.

What not to do

• Don't use nail polish remover, acetone or other solvents on your hair or scalp. Acetone irritates and dries skin and is an eye irritant. It's never needed for oil, which shampoo removes.
• Don't use gasoline, paint thinner or similar fuels. Extension guidance warns of the danger of using fuels as cleaning solvents, and they irritate skin.
• Don't rinse with very hot water or scrub hard. Warm water is enough to keep oils fluid, so very hot water adds discomfort without helping. Hard scrubbing tangles hair, and dermatologists advise gentle handling.
• Don't rub your hair dry with a towel. Dermatologists advise wrapping hair to absorb water, because rough rubbing can damage it.

Other methods that work

Cornstarch on the roots

Cornstarch is an absorbent that soaks up surface oil, which is why it's used on oily fabric stains. Dusting a little on greasy roots and brushing it out is a traditional tip with weak evidence for hair, but it can make hair look less oily until you can wash it.

Caution: It only absorbs surface oil and can leave a pale cast on dark hair. Shampoo is still the fix.

Dish soap

Sometimes suggested because it's made to cut grease. For hair, this is traditional advice with weak evidence, and shampoo is the product made for the scalp.

Caution: If you try it, use a drop mixed into shampoo, keep it out of your eyes, and rinse thoroughly.

Stain still there?

Hair still feels greasy after two washes

Let it dry fully, then shampoo again on dry hair with a clarifying shampoo. A heavy oil mask can take a third wash or a second day.

Hair feels waxy or stiff, not oily

That's usually coconut oil that firmed up in a cool rinse. Rewash with warmer water and rinse longer.

Scalp is itchy or red afterward

Rinse well with plain lukewarm water and skip further washing that day. See a dermatologist if burning, a rash or swelling develops.

Safety

• Keep shampoo and soap out of your eyes. If anything stings your eyes, rinse with water and call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) for a chemical.
• Never use solvents or fuels on hair or skin.

Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.

Questions

Grease and oil on other surfaces

• Grease and oil stains: the complete guide
• Grease and oil on carpet
• Grease and oil on clothes
• Grease and oil on concrete
• Grease and oil on leather
• Grease and oil on suede

Other stains on hair

• Stains on hair: the complete guide
• Glue on hair
• Gum on hair
• Paint on hair
• Petroleum jelly on hair
• Putty on hair
• Slime on hair
• Tree sap on hair
• Wax on hair